STATE COLLEGE – When quarterback Christian Hackenberg sat down with head coach James Franklin on Sunday, the standout freshman said he wasn’t looking to hear anything specific or need any reassurance from the new head coach.

Hackenberg met one-on-one with Franklin before the team meeting Sunday night and while the two were a bit familiar from the recruiting process when Franklin tried to bring Hackenberg to Vanderbilt, the majority of their relationship was starting anew.

“He was upfront, he was honest with me,” Hackenberg said on Wednesday. “[He shared his] plans on what he wanted to do. He really didn’t have to sell me on anything. I’m still here, this is where I want to play ball so it was a great meeting and I just got to know him on a personal level more so than the recruiting process.”

Franklin will continue working to put his staff in place and Hackenberg is waiting to know who is position coach will be. The freshman said he hasn’t been able to get his hands on any Vanderbilt film yet though he’s optimistic he can do so soon. Franklin hasn’t given him any indication when the team will get the new playbook so for the time being Hackenberg continues to focus on what he can control.

Right now that means a winter in Penn State’s strength and conditioning program, which is something he wasn’t able to do last year since he couldn’t enroll until June. Being back in the weight room has given him and his teammates a sense of normalcy since their return to campus.

“It’s nothing we’re not used to I guess you could say,” Hackenberg said referring to the uncertainty during the past few weeks. “I think we did a great job in the selection process and I think coach Franklin is going to come in here and do a great job.”

“I’m definitely excited about that,” he said. “I feel like whoever the offensive coordinator is, whoever the quarterbacks coach is, they can bring a lot of intensity and I’m excited to start working with him.”

Hackenberg won’t have wide receiver Allen Robinson with him this year since Robinson opted to forgo his senior season and declare for the NFL Draft. It’s another change that Hackenberg will continue using this winter to adapt to. He’s also concentrating on bettering his own footwork and planning to go back and spend additional time on film study.

“I just want to go back and review everything I did this year and focus on what I can do to be better next year and help our team win,” he said.